Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk
Abstract In late 2023 an H5N1 lineage of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) began circulating in American dairy cattle Concerningly, high titres of virus were detected in cows’ milk, raising the concern that milk could be a route of human infection. Cows’ milk is typically pasteurised...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56406-8 |
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| author | Jenna Schafers Caroline J. Warren Jiayun Yang Junsen Zhang Sarah J. Cole Jayne Cooper Karolina Drewek B. Reddy Kolli Natalie McGinn Mehnaz Qureshi Scott M. Reid Thomas P. Peacock Ian Brown Joe James Ashley C. Banyard Munir Iqbal Paul Digard Edward Hutchinson |
| author_facet | Jenna Schafers Caroline J. Warren Jiayun Yang Junsen Zhang Sarah J. Cole Jayne Cooper Karolina Drewek B. Reddy Kolli Natalie McGinn Mehnaz Qureshi Scott M. Reid Thomas P. Peacock Ian Brown Joe James Ashley C. Banyard Munir Iqbal Paul Digard Edward Hutchinson |
| author_sort | Jenna Schafers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In late 2023 an H5N1 lineage of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) began circulating in American dairy cattle Concerningly, high titres of virus were detected in cows’ milk, raising the concern that milk could be a route of human infection. Cows’ milk is typically pasteurised to render it safe for human consumption, but the effectiveness of pasteurisation on influenza viruses in milk was uncertain. To assess this, here we evaluate heat inactivation in milk for a panel of different influenza viruses. This includes human and avian influenza A viruses (IAVs), an influenza D virus that naturally infects cattle, and recombinant IAVs carrying contemporary avian or bovine H5N1 glycoproteins. At pasteurisation temperatures of 63 °C and 72 °C, we find that viral infectivity is rapidly lost and becomes undetectable before the times recommended for pasteurisation (30 minutes and 15 seconds, respectively). We then show that an H5N1 HPAIV in milk is effectively inactivated by a comparable treatment, even though its genetic material remains detectable. We conclude that pasteurisation conditions should effectively inactivate H5N1 HPAIV in cows’ milk, but that unpasteurised milk could carry infectious influenza viruses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0dd3b6b5d2a0477b8302e3c9cbf029dc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-0dd3b6b5d2a0477b8302e3c9cbf029dc2025-02-02T12:32:07ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-011611910.1038/s41467-025-56406-8Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milkJenna Schafers0Caroline J. Warren1Jiayun Yang2Junsen Zhang3Sarah J. Cole4Jayne Cooper5Karolina Drewek6B. Reddy Kolli7Natalie McGinn8Mehnaz Qureshi9Scott M. Reid10Thomas P. Peacock11Ian Brown12Joe James13Ashley C. Banyard14Munir Iqbal15Paul Digard16Edward Hutchinson17Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush CampusDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawDepartment of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New HawThe Pirbright Institute, Ash RoadRoslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush CampusMRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus ResearchAbstract In late 2023 an H5N1 lineage of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) began circulating in American dairy cattle Concerningly, high titres of virus were detected in cows’ milk, raising the concern that milk could be a route of human infection. Cows’ milk is typically pasteurised to render it safe for human consumption, but the effectiveness of pasteurisation on influenza viruses in milk was uncertain. To assess this, here we evaluate heat inactivation in milk for a panel of different influenza viruses. This includes human and avian influenza A viruses (IAVs), an influenza D virus that naturally infects cattle, and recombinant IAVs carrying contemporary avian or bovine H5N1 glycoproteins. At pasteurisation temperatures of 63 °C and 72 °C, we find that viral infectivity is rapidly lost and becomes undetectable before the times recommended for pasteurisation (30 minutes and 15 seconds, respectively). We then show that an H5N1 HPAIV in milk is effectively inactivated by a comparable treatment, even though its genetic material remains detectable. We conclude that pasteurisation conditions should effectively inactivate H5N1 HPAIV in cows’ milk, but that unpasteurised milk could carry infectious influenza viruses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56406-8 |
| spellingShingle | Jenna Schafers Caroline J. Warren Jiayun Yang Junsen Zhang Sarah J. Cole Jayne Cooper Karolina Drewek B. Reddy Kolli Natalie McGinn Mehnaz Qureshi Scott M. Reid Thomas P. Peacock Ian Brown Joe James Ashley C. Banyard Munir Iqbal Paul Digard Edward Hutchinson Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk Nature Communications |
| title | Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk |
| title_full | Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk |
| title_fullStr | Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk |
| title_short | Pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza A viruses in milk |
| title_sort | pasteurisation temperatures effectively inactivate influenza a viruses in milk |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56406-8 |
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